It is to be understood that reference to a winch reel herein is the typically cylindrical portion of the winch drum assembly about which rope or other similar rope-like material is wound. Further, although the present invention relates generally to boat winches, it should not be limited to such usage. For example, the winch assembly could equally well be used in other similar applications which require the level winding of a rope onto a winch reel. It is to be still further understood that any use of the word “rope” herein may incorporate within its meaning, chains, wire, cord, cables and any other rope-like material which could be wound around the reel.
Winches are well known devices used on boats for raising and descending anchors. The anchor is connected to a rope or chain which is wound around a reel portion of a winch drum, which is typically powered by a motor for raising and/or descending the anchor. The winch drum is usually positioned a short distance rearward from the front of the boat and the rope is guided by rollers typically positioned on the front deck.
A problem with existing boat winches is that during raising of the anchor, the rope does not level wind, that is, it tends to accumulate at the centre of the winch drum or climb up the opposed side walls of the drum. Accumulation of the rope may result in jerky movement during descent of the anchor, damage to the rope, and in some instances may even prevent the anchor from descending due to excessive tangling. In assemblies where the winch drum rotates through the reduction gearing of the motor, such jerky movements during descent may result in damage to the motor and other parts of the assembly.
In addition, there may be circumstances, particularly in winch drums which have the capacity to free fall, in which proper contact between the rope and drum reel is not achieved, presenting a further situation for damage to the rope and snarling or tangling of the same.
The present inventor is the owner of Australian Letters Patent No. 2007202072 relating to a level wind arm associated with a winch drum assembly which overcomes at least some of the abovementioned problems, and is incorporated by reference herein. The level wind arm includes a cross member which extends substantially parallel to the axle of the winch drum. The spindle is rotatable about the cross member to accommodate forward and backward movement of the rope, and also slideable along the cross member to allow for movement of the rope as it is wound or unwound from the drum.
The cross member is biased and exerts a downward pressure (or upward pressure if the rope extends above the spindle) on the rope a short distance from the drum to ensure that rope is wound or unwound about the drum under tension, and in a level and controlled manner. For a more detailed description of this prior art level wind arm, the reader is referred to the detailed description below in relation to FIGS. 1 and 2 which illustrate the prior art level wind arm.
Although this level wind arm has proven to be effective, a problem has been identified by the present inventor when rope is being wound onto the drum. By the time the rope approaches the end of the reel, and rises up to form a new layer above, the spindle has already started its journey back along the cross member. This causes the new layer of rope to lose consistency with the layer below, and hence gaps can form adjacent the ends of the reel. Once again, this can result in tangling and accumulation. When more rope is wound and further layers are formed, this problem is exacerbated.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome at least some of the aforementioned problems or to provide the public with a useful alternative.